System for remote game access

• US 8,568,238 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ELBO, Inc. (Gamestop Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Spawn Labs, Inc. (Gamestop Corporation)
• Inventors: Walker, Peter Anthony, Becca, Oswald Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, David L
• Application Number:
  US12/925,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20110045913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 463 40- 42, 463/47
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/23 for interfacing with the game device, e.g. specific interfaces between game controller and console
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/323 between game devices with different hardware characteristics, e.g. hand-held game devices connectable to game consoles or arcade machines
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/327 using wireless networks, e.g. Wi-Fi® or piconet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/33 using wide area network [WAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/35 Details of game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2488 Remotely playable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/52 with a remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/403 Connection between platform and handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/405 being a wireless ad hoc network, e.g. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Pico net
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/513 : server hierarchy, e.g. local, regional, national or dedicated for different tasks, e.g. authenticating, billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 : for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6045 : for mapping control signals received from the input arrangement into game commands
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 : Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 : Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 : Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for allowing a user to remotely access a game includes: a game console; a remote console client configured to receive a game control signal; and a remote console server. The remote console server includes an audio and video encoder configured to receive an audio output and a video output from the game console and to convert the audio output and the video output to a network packet. The remote console server also includes: a game controller emulation unit and a network interface configured to send and receive the network packet. The game controller emulation unit is configured to receive a game controller signal from the game console and to send the game controller signal to the remote console client and to receive a game controller input from the remote console client and send the game controller input to the game console.

Claims

1. A networked game system comprising:

a network interface configured to receive packetized information from a packet network;

a console server system comprising a console virtualization engine, including an audio and video encoder and a controller emulator, the console server system including a processor, the console server system configured to adjust to different game controller types and perform operations comprising;

identifying a remote game controller associated with a user;

locating and retrieving from a data store a compatible controller configuration for a game initiated by the user that is usable with the identified remote game controller associated with the user;

providing help information to the user after identifying the remote game controller that corresponds to the compatible controller configuration, the help information relating to a function of at least one game controller control;

receiving over the packet network at the network interface a packetized game controller signal from the remote game controller;

converting, by the controller emulator, the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller port of a game console configured to play the game;

communicating the converted game controller signal to the game console;

receiving audio and video output from the game console, wherein the audio and video output is generated by the game console at least partly in response to the communicated game controller signal;

encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the game console using the audio and video encoder; and

transmitting by the network interface over the packet network to a client associated with the user, the encoded and packetized audio and video output from the game console.

2. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising transmitting by the networked game system over the packet network at least one output to the remote game controller configured to cause the remote game controller to vibrate or illuminate.

3. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising caching the retrieved compatible controller configuration for future use.

4. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation; and

enabling the user to play the selected game.

5. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

receiving a packetized voice communication from the user while the selected game is being played; and

transmitting the voice communication to at least one other player of the selected game.

6. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

enabling one or more users to monitor the playing of the selected game via respective user clients without participating as a player of the selected game.

7. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, the operations further comprising adapting video quality and latency associated with the selected game based at least in part on an image type from the selected game being transmitted to the client.

8. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box.

9. The networked game system as defined in claim 1, wherein the game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.

10. A networked game system comprising:

a network interface configured to receive packetized information from a packet network;

a console server system comprising a console virtualization engine, including an audio and video encoder and a controller emulator, the console server system including a processor, the console server system configured to adjust to different game controller types and to perform operations comprising;

identifying a remote game controller associated with a user;

locating and retrieving from a data store a compatible controller configuration for a game initiated by the user that is usable with the identified remote game controller associated with the user;

receiving over the packet network at the network interface a packetized game controller signal from the remote game controller;

converting, by the controller emulator, the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller port of a game console configured to play the game;

communicating the converted game controller signal to the game console;

receiving audio and video output from the game console, wherein the audio and video output is generated by the game console at least partly in response to the communicated game controller signal; and

encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the game console using the audio and video encoder; and

transmitting by the network interface over the packet network to a client associated with the user, the encoded and packetized audio and video output from the game console.

11. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising transmitting by the networked game system over the packet network at least one output to the remote game controller configured to cause the remote game controller to vibrate or illuminate.

12. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising caching the retrieved compatible controller configuration for future use.

13. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation; and

enabling the user to play the selected game.

14. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

receiving a packetized voice communication from the user while the selected game is being played; and

transmitting the voice communication to at least one other player of the selected game.

15. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the networked game system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game; and

enabling one or more users to monitor the playing of the selected game via respective user clients without participating as a player of the selected game.

16. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, the operations further comprising adapting video quality and latency associated with the selected game based at least in part on an image type from the selected game being transmitted to the client.

17. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box.

18. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, wherein the game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.

19. The networked game system as defined in claim 10, further comprising a plurality of game consoles.

20. A method for enabling a user to remotely play an electronic game, the method comprising:

identifying, by a computerized system a remote game controller associated with a user;

locating and retrieving, by the computerized system, from a data store a compatible controller configuration for a game initiated by the user that is usable with the identified remote game controller associated with the user;

receiving over a packet network at the computerized system a packetized game controller signal from the remote game controller;

converting the received packetized game controller signal, by the computerized system, to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller port of a game console configured to play the game;

communicating, by the computerized system, the converted game controller signal to the game console;

receiving audio and video output from the game console, wherein the audio and video output is generated by the game console at least partly in response to the communicated game controller signal;

encoding and packetizing, by the computerized system, the audio and video output from the game console;

transmitting the encoded and packetized audio and video output from the game console, via the packet network, to a client associated with the user; and

adjusting to different game controller types.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the remote game controller wirelessly transmits the information used to identify the remote game controller.

22. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising transmitting over the packet network at least one output to the remote game controller configured to cause the remote game controller to vibrate or illuminate.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising caching the retrieved compatible controller configuration for future use.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the computerized system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation; and

enabling the user to play the selected game.

25. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the computerized system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

receiving a packetized voice communication from the user while the selected game is being played; and

transmitting the voice communication to at least one other player of the selected game.

26. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via the computerized system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a listing of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game; and

enabling one or more users to monitor the playing of the selected game via respective user clients without participating as a player of the selected game.

27. The method as defined in claim 20, the method further comprising adapting video quality and latency associated with the selected game based at least in part on an image type from the selected game being transmitted to the client.

28. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box.

29. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.

30. A non-transitory storage medium storing program code that when executed by a computing system is configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

identifying a remote game controller associated with a user;

locating and retrieving from a data store a compatible controller configuration for a game initiated by the user that is usable with the identified remote game controller associated with the user;

receiving a packetized game controller signal from the remote game controller;

converting the received packetized game controller signal to a corresponding controller input signal compatible with a game controller port of a game console configured to play the game;

receiving audio and video output from the game console, wherein the audio and video output is generated by the game console at least partly in response to the communicated game controller signal;

communicating the converted game controller signal to the game console;

encoding and packetizing the audio and video output from the game console;

transmitting over a packet network to a client associated with the user, the encoded and packetized audio and video output from the game console; and

adjusting to different game controller types.

31. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, wherein the game controller wirelessly transmits the information used to identify the remote game controller.

32. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the operations further comprising transmitting over the packet network at least one output to the game controller configured to cause the game controller to vibrate or illuminate.

33. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the operations further comprising caching the retrieved compatible controller configuration for future use.

34. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via a console server system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a list of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation; and

enabling the user to play the selected game.

35. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the operations further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via a console server system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a list of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

receiving a packetized voice communication from the user while the selected game is being played; and

transmitting the voice communication to at least one other player of the selected game.

36. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the method further comprising:

providing for display to the user a menu of a plurality of games available via a console server system;

receiving a game selection from the user over the packet network;

determining if the selected game is a simultaneous players game;

at least partly in response to determining that the selected game is a simultaneous players game, enabling the user to select players from a list of players to play the selected game with;

configuring controller emulation;

enabling the user to play the selected game;

enabling one or more users to monitor the playing of the selected game via respective user clients without participating as a player of the selected game.

37. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, the method further comprising adapting video quality and latency associated with the selected game based at least in part on an image type from the selected game being transmitted to the client.

38. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, wherein the client comprises a personal computer, a mobile computer, a handheld device, or a television set top box.

39. The non-transitory storage medium as defined in claim 30, wherein the game console comprises a standard computer configured to perform a plurality of functions in addition to enabling the user to play games.